


A Winning Afternoon

by wyntreaurora



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: F/M, I didn't play when I wrote this so just pretend it's right, potentially incorrect chess terminology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-10
Updated: 2010-06-10
Packaged: 2017-11-11 00:11:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/472286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyntreaurora/pseuds/wyntreaurora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spock wins, Pike laughs, and Jim is...well, he's Jim</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Winning Afternoon

“He just doesn’t know when to quit,” the older man said as his eyes drifted across the sparsely populated café to the table Jim Kirk had just brazenly swaggered over to. 

The younger man finished moving his chess piece before looking up to follow the other man’s gaze to the table where Nyota was sitting. They had exchanged the polite nod that was socially acceptable for a student and their instructor crossing paths outside of the Academy before she sat down and pulled a PADD out of her bag, to study, he assumed. 

“Do you know him, Sir?” he asked before taking a sip from his cup of tea. 

“That,” Pike sighed, “is Cadet James T. Kirk.” 

Spock raised an eyebrow as his mind connected the image of the young man a few tables over to the stories he had heard over the last three years. He studied Kirk’s body language as the other man turned toward the chessboard and pondered his next move. 

“I am unfamiliar with the idiom I assume you are using. He has not been here long enough to establish a pattern of behavior to ‘quit’ as it were. Would you mind explaining, Sir?” 

“Spock, he’s been trying to learn Nyota’s first name since the night they met in Iowa when we recruited him. Get her name and a date actually. I’m sure you know of his reputation.” 

“I do indeed,” his eyes flicked back to Pike as he moved his rook. He studied the board and observed that unless the other man had something up his sleeve, he would win the game in eight moves. Spock confidently moved his knight and turned his full attention back to the table where Kirk was now leaning confidently against its edge. “I have also heard students refer to Cadet Uhura in ways I have come to learn mean that she does not frequently participate in social gatherings and is strongly focused on her academic responsibilities.” 

“Yeah, she’s turned Kirk down more times than anyone can count and he just doesn’t give up,” Pike said as he returned his attention to the chessboard and became very quiet as he studied the board, realizing he was probably beat. 

Spock continued to watch as Kirk continued his pursuit of Uhura. Kirk raised his voice as his frustration mounted even though he was trying to keep it from coloring his tone. 

“Your roommate says your subspace communications test isn’t for three more weeks, so you’ll forgive me for thinking it’s bull that you’re studying for it already. Uhura, you’re brilliant, we all know it, you don’t need to study as much as you do, so take a break and let me buy you a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. This place has killer pie!” he sighed, nearly salivating as his gaze drifted toward the pie case. 

Pike moved one of his pieces and Spock glanced over to find that Pike had made the one move that might have saved him from a quick defeat had he been playing anyone but Spock. Spock quickly moved one of his pawns, noted that the game would now be over in four more moves, and turned his attention back to the spectacle unfolding a few meters away.

Uhura slowly slid her gaze from her PADD to Kirk, increasing the intensity in her stare as she did, firmly setting it down on the table. She pointedly drew herself up from the slightly slouched position she had been sitting in so that she was looking Kirk directly in the eyes. She had tried every tactic she knew plus all the ones her fellow cadets had told her about and not a single one had worked. She rolled her eyes as she sighed and noticed Spock watching the exchange out of the corner of her eye. She was sure he had heard Kirk’s last plea, but she wasn’t sure if he would hear her if she replied in the quiet tone she preferred to use with Kirk when he approached her in public. She didn’t like making a scene, but maybe that’s what it was going to take for Kirk to get the hint. Focusing as much exasperation into her tone as she could, she admonished Kirk. 

“Regardless of my academic prowess, regardless of when my test may or may not be, regardless of what subject I am currently studying, and completely regardless of your feelings on the matter, no, you cannot buy me a cup of coffee. You cannot buy me a piece of pie. You cannot continue to harangue me. How many times do I have to tell you that I am not interested, Cadet Kirk?” she said emphasizing his rank and name with sharpened consonant sounds. 

She continued, smiling gently and softening her tone in hopes that her next statement would be received as truth and not just a falsified excuse. 

“I’ll admit, you’re a certain kind of handsome, so I see why girls typically swoon over you, but you’re not my type. And I happen to be involved with someone who is my type.” 

Despite his focus on the board, Pike noticed that Spock sat up even straighter after her last comment. 

She picked the PADD up from the table and tucked it under her arm as she stood and picked up her bag, slinging it over her other shoulder. 

“Gena, I’m out of here,” she called over her shoulder to the woman at the register who responded before she could even ask. It wasn’t the first time Uhura had left in a hurry due to pesky suitors. 

“I’ll put it on your tab, Hon.” 

Pike finally realized he was beat and moved the only piece he could, then looked up in time to see a dazed Kirk staring at Uhura as she moved around him and away from the table. 

Uhura didn’t even look at Kirk as she briskly made her way across the café, her eyes only once leaving the door as she smirked. It happened so fast that no one else in the café noticed it except its intended recipient and Pike. 

He also noticed a brief flash of something in Spock’s eyes before his attention was drawn back to Kirk. 

“Whaddaya mean you’re already involved?” called Kirk in perplexed frustration, finally coming out of his stupor as the door swung shut behind Uhura. 

Pike laughed as Spock looked back to the board and moved the piece that would seal his fate. 

“Check.” 

“I know I’m sunk, you win Spock. Kirk!” he called out to the young man who was still standing at the table Uhura had left with a very confused look on his face. 

Hearing his name, Kirk shook his head and turned towards the voice. 

“Captain Pike!” he acknowledged, not really noticing the Vulcan sitting with him as his attention was still half-focused on the door. 

“At ease Cadet,” Pike chuckled as he waved the young man over. “She said she’s involved. You going to give up now Jim?” 

Instead of making his way over to the table Kirk headed in the direction of the door as he called out his response to his advisor. 

“Not unless that’s a direct order from you Sir,” Kirk grinned and he was out the door before Pike had a chance to reply. 

Pike laughed again as Spock suddenly rose from his chair. 

“Thank you for the game Captain. I must be going now, I have essays to grade before my classes tomorrow.” 

They exchanged a nod and Spock turned from the table. Pike noticed what might have been considered the Vulcan equivalent to a proud smirk cross his face for a brief second as he turned to leave. 

Certainly it wasn’t just about the game, thought Pike, as Spock had only been beaten twice in the two years they’d been playing, so what was that look for? Was he proud of Uhura for standing up to Kirk? Nah, Spock wouldn’t know enough about the situation to care. Wait...she was involved...the look she gave Spock as she exited, the flash in his eyes...no. That couldn’t possibly be it. Spock was a _Vulcan_. His emotional control matched his strict adherence and respect for academy rules and regulations, and Cadet Uhura was smart, there would be no reason for her to engage in such a relationship. Not to mention that Spock was the one professor in Starfleet who would never entertain an idea like that. No. Hell no. He laughed as he reset the chess pieces to their starting positions and stood from the table. He was still laughing as he made his way to the counter to pay the bill, as had become the norm – loser buys was their agreement from the beginning. 

Spock was simply pleased with himself as he strode purposefully back toward campus. He had won two games this afternoon.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks SQ!


End file.
